Arvada Man Goes Missing While Surfing In Hawaii

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DENVER (CBS4) – A man from Arvada disappeared while vacationing in Hawaii. Investigators say it may have been a surfing accident.

Robert Rumburg, 51, disappeared Wednesday. Crews are searching in the Sunset bBach area of Oahu. So far they’ve searched more than 1,000 square miles. It was a huge section of the coast and 20 miles out to sea. The Coast Guard says they understand Rumberg is an experienced swimmer, but not an experienced surfer.

The search for Rumberg started when he didn’t show up for a dinner with the woman he was staying with. Friends say she went home and found his suitcase and personal belongings, and even his rental car, but no Rumberg. She then noticed one of her surf boards was missing and called police.

“The surf board was actually discovered last night. It was brought to shore by residents down by Rocky Point and they described it as being offshore quite a distance,” Cpt. Terry Seelig with the Honolulu Fire Department said.

Since then the Coast Guard, police and fire department have been searching by air, land and sea. They’re focusing on a section of the north shore called Sunset Beach. The north shore is known for its big waves, but locals say conditions were calm the day Rumberg went missing.

“Glassy, smooth waters, beautiful; I don’t understand how he could have any trouble in the water, especially with a board,” surfer Derek McMillan said.

But police say that doesn’t necessarily matter.

“A person can go missing due to a number of reasons. It could be something related to their health. It can be something related to predators in the ocean. Not just sharks but other types of animals that are out there that could cause a person to go unconscious, missing, and never be found,” Seelig said.

The Coast Guard hasn’t given any signs there may be foul play, although some who know Rumburg say something just doesn’t sound right.